This is the website/blog of Philosopher Stephen Law. Stephen is Provost of Centre for Inquiry UK, Reader in philosophy at Heythrop College, University of London, and editor of the Royal Institute of Philosophy journal THINK. He has published several books (see sidebar). His other blog is THE OUTER LIMITS: http://www.centerforinquiry.net/blogs/blibnblob
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Saturday, January 21, 2012

Why Philosophy is perhaps one of the MOST useful degrees

Here is an excellent resource on why philosophy degrees make especially smart and successful businessmen and women, lawyers, journalists, etc. (you are actually dramatically better off doing a first degree in philosophy than business administration for a career in business).

Includes GRE test performance (philosophers do staggeringly well - look right), comparative salary information, and various other useful bits of evidence that collectively puncture the peculiar modern myth that philosophy isn't "useful".

I previously commented on the GRE scores comparing philosophy students with all other students here.

A quote from Fordham:

"In addition, as the marketplace becomes more competitive, graduate degrees become more desirable, and that entails a strong performance on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), the exam most business schools require their applicants to take. Philosophy majors consistently outperform other majors on the GMAT, including all business majors, all humanities majors, and all social sciences majors. Philosophy majors enjoy enormous advantages going into business."

The first and last testimonials are especially good. Opening quote from the final "testimonial" on linked page:

"Most of management theory is inane, writes our correspondent, the founder of consulting firm. If you want to succeed in business, don’t get an M.B.A. Study philosophy instead."

Thanks for this article. I completed an Honours degree in Philosophy in London in 97, then went home to Australia, fought several successful community campaigns, and was elected as a Greens local government councillor in 2004. Philosophy allowed me to see through obfuscation and gave me the confidence to be able to listen effectively and successfully argue my corner.

Are you suggesting a causal relationship here? That choosing to do philosophy will lead to greater success?

The evidence from the chart is that philosophers have good (English) language skills. It might be that philosophers tend to be chosen from the pool of people who have good language skills, or it might be that a philosophy degree will improve your language skills. We can't tell.

The other skill that I think is critical is mathematical skills. I know a few philosophy graduates and they are all good at maths. It would not surprise me if that were generally true. I certainly agree that philosophy grads make very good employees but I suspect that it's because the subject acts as a filter: the average business major would flunk philosophy early on.